Political Quotes

“if the President's health care plan is so great, why not try it out in some city or county first. Why do we have to force it on the whole country before we even know if or how it will work? Columnist Paul Craig Roberts said in his most recent syndicated column: If Americans think their health-care system is in crisis now, just wait until Clinton's health plan becomes law. All of us would make some changes if we could, but before we rush into some radical and extremely expensive new system, I hope we will consider these words from yesterday's column by George Melloan: If you ask Europeans how they feel about `free' health care many will say it's nice, unless they have been in an Italian hospital lately or been put on a six-months waiting list for surgery in England. If you ask them how they feel about high taxes and insolvent governments, they say its terrible. Yet the two things are inextricably linked. For example national health care swallows some 40% of Italy's direct taxation, even though half the country now resorts to private care part of the time. Europe's politicians know that national health care isn't `free'. Every Western European government is trying to cut its costs, courting unpopularity in the process. Sweden is trying to totally overhaul the welfare state to stave off national bankruptcy. Our system is not perfect, but it is far better than what is found any place else in the world.”